Vocabulary Hit Parade Freshmen List
Instructions: You will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday every week. The test requires correct spelling of the Hit Parade words, defining all the words and applying the correct word in a sentence. The quiz tests 10 vocabulary words (Hit Parade) and 10 PRS (Prefixes, roots, & suffixes). You must be able to define and give an example for each PRS word. Each test has review words so the tests are cumulative.
How to Memorize New Words: Different people have different ways of memorizing new words. Some people find it easier to remember things if they write them down. Others find it helps to say them aloud. Visual or artistic people may want to draw a symbol or picture to represent the word. Many people say they can remember new things better of they review them right before they go to sleep. You should do what works best for you.
Flash Cards: Make your own flashcards out of 3-5 note cards. Write the word on one side and the definition on the other. Then quiz yourself on the words, or practice them with a friend. Carry a few words around with you and you can review them in your spare moments.
Start early in the week, so you can learn a few words at a time!
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Week 1
Ostentatious-showing off
Contentious-quarrelsome
Reprove-to scold, to find fault with
Pessimism-gloominess, a belief that the bad guys always win
Cursory-hast, not thorough
Profligate-extremely wasteful, wildly extravagant
Miser-someone who hoards money
Jocular-joking
Fracas-uproar, brawl
Caricature-a satiric portrait or representation
Week 2
Corroborate-to confirm
Precarious-dangerously unstable
Expository-explanatory
Bolster-to support, to prop up
Daunt-to intimidate, to discourage
Apathy-lack of emotion or interest
Ambiguous-having more than one meaning, vague
Fervent-passionate
Vagrant-a wandering homeless person, a tramp
Undermine-to weaken, to wear away the foundation of
Week 3
Oblivious-unaware, unconscious
Indifferent-not caring one way or the other, lacking a preference, neutral
Obscure-unclear, clouded, partially hidden, hard to understand
Objective-without bias (as opposed to subjective)
Revere-to worship, to honor
Discriminate-to differentiate, to make a clear distinction, to see the difference
Embellish-to add details, to exaggerate
Denounce-to speak out against, to condemn
Innovate-to be creative, to introduce something new
Stagnant-not moving
Week 4
Candid-honest, frank
Impartial-unbiased, neutral
Discern-to distinguish one thing from another
Vulnerable-capable of being harmed
Hypocritical-insincere
Eccentric-odd, unusual, quirky
Disdain-contempt, intense dislike
Abstract-theoretical, lacking substance (the opposite of concrete)
Valid-founded on fact of evidence
Subtle-not obvious, hard to spot
Week 5
Enigma-mystery
Inevitable-unavoidable, bound to happen
Inferred-derived by reasoning, implied, as a conclusion
Diverse-Varied
Articulate-speaking well
Apprehensive-fearful, worried
Benevolent-good, kind0hearted, generous
Virulent-very harmful (like a virus)
Pious (piety)-deeply religious
Skeptical-doubting
Week 6
Provincial-narrow-minded, unsophisticated
Resignation-acceptance of a situation
Illuminate-to light up, make clear
Resolution (resolve)-determination
Servile-overly submissive, like a servant
Diligent-hard-working
Refute-to disprove
Anarchy-lack of government, chaos
Miser-one who saves greedily
Discord-disagreement
Week 7
Inclined-tending toward one direction
Uniform-constant, without variety
Perceptive-having keen understanding discerning
Superficial-shallow, on the surface only
Lucid-clear, easy to understand
Immune-safe from harm, protected
Aesthetic-concerned with art or beauty
Prodigal-extravagant, wasteful
Assess-to estimate the value of, to measure
Deter-to prevent, especially by threatening
Week 8
Complacent-smug, self-sustained, overly confident
Contempt-disdain, hatred
Eloquent-speaking well, articulate
Virtue-moral excellence
Vital-essential, necessary
Guile-cunning, deceitfulness
Biased-prejudiced, not neutral
Censor-to delete objectionable matter (not the same as censure)
Monotonous-without variety, tiresomely uniform
Trivial-unimportant, insignificant
Week 9
Profound (profundity)-deep, insightful
Enhance-to improve, to augment
Phenomenon-an observable fact or occurrence
Enduring-lasting
Advocate-to speak in favor of
Solitude-the state of being alone
Tentative-temporary, not final
Contemporary- living at the same time, modern
Provocative (provoke)_exciting, attracting attention
Adversary-an opponent, enemy
Week 10
Gravity (grave) –seriousness
Banal-common, dull, ordinary
Depravity-moral corruption
Temper-to moderate, to soften
Censure-to blame, to criticize
Extol-to praise
Indulgent-pampering oneself, satisfying one’s own desires
Erratic-irregular, without direction
Insipid-bland, boring tasteless
Euphony-pleasant sound
Week 11
Antagonism-opposition, hostility, resistance
Arbitrary-subject to individual judgment
Austere-severe, without frills
Expedite (expedient)-to make faster or easier
Heresy-an opinion violently opposed to established beliefs
Compromise-to settle by concession or surrender
Condescend-to talk down to
Fallacious (fallacy)-false, untrue
Intangible-abstract, not capable of being touched or felt
Arrogant-acting superior to others, snooty
Week 12
Compatible-able to co-exist, harmonious
Dubious-doubtful
Solicit-to ask for, to seek
Elusive (elude)-tough to catch, hard to pin down
Facilitate-to make easier, to help
Static-stationary, not moving (not the same as radio fuzz)
Ironic-satiric, unexpected
Irrational-unreasonable, unpredictable
Dogmatic-stubbornly opinionated
Flagrant-shocking, outstandingly bad
Week 13
Frivolous-not serious, trivial, silly
Taciturn-quiet, saying little
Infamous-notorious, scandalous
Redundant-repetitive, unnecessary, superfluous
Authoritarian-like a dictator
Exhaustive-thorough, complete
Reticent-quiet, uncommunicative, taciturn
Fervor-passion, zeal, great enthusiasm
Scanty-inadequate, minimal
Dispassionate-free from passion or spirit
Week 14
Pragmatic-practical
Didactic-instructive
Deference (defer)-a show of respect
Alleviate-to lighten or relieve
Vacillate-to waiver between choices
Endorse-to approve of, to give support to
Conspicuous-easily seen, out in the open
Negligence-carelessness, neglect, indifference
Ephemeral-short-lived, fleeting, transitory
Relegate-to dismiss to an inferior position
Week 15
Futile-hopeless, worthless, useless,
Condone-to forgive, to overlook
Tranquility-calmness
Dissent-disagreement
Conciliate-to soothe, to end a dispute, to reconcile
Incessant-unceasing, never ending
Disparity-inequality, different
Disparage-to speak badly of, to belittle
Conventional-ordinary, customary, normal, traditional
Rigor-harshness or severity
Week 16
Profuse-flowing freely, generous, excessive
Expedient-useful for affecting a desired result
Fastidious-not easy to please, overly critical
Prosaic-uninspired, dull, banal
Philanthropy-a desire to help mankind
Languid-slow, tired, drooping, weak
Astute-perceptive, clever
Authentic-real, genuine
Brevity-briefness
Relevant-pertinent, important to know
Week 17
Incoherent-impossible to understand, chaotic
Mitigate-to make milder, to make less severe
Reprehensible-shameful, bad
Augment-to add, to increase to make bigger
Engender-to create, to produce
Deride (derision)-to ridicule, to make fun of
Acclaim-praise, applause, admiration
Lethargic-tired, languid, weak
Fanatic-one who is very devoted to cause or idea
Novel-new, unusual (secondary meaning)
Week 18
Solemn-serious, grave
Ambivalent-undecided
Indolence-laziness
Benign-harmless
Tedious-boring, painstaking
Amiable-friendly
Laud-to praise
Caustic-burning, uncomplimentary
Atrophy-to waste away from lack of use
Meander-to wander randomly
Week 19
Instigate-to start trouble
Heed-to obey
Virtuoso-an accomplished musician
Predecessor-the person who came before another
Deplete-to use up, to reduce
Compliant-submissive, obedient
Inadvertent-accident, unintentional
Acquiesce-to agree finally, to go along with something
Levity-humor
Belittle- to put down, to disparage
Week 20
Extraneous-irrelevant, extra, unnecessary
Digress-to stray from the subject
Emulate-to copy something admired, to imitate
Appease-to make peace with, to satisfy
Sage (sagacious) a wise person
Auspicious-favorable, positive
Universal- existing or present everywhere
Fickle-unpredictable, capricious, whimsical
Furtive-secretive
Remorse-sadness, regret
Week 21
Repress-to hold down
Gullible-overly trusting, willing to believe anything
Respite-a rest, a pause, a break
Scrutinize-to examine closely
Coalesce-to come together, to merge to join
Orthodox-standard, commonly accepted, conventional (not just in religion)
Innate-inborn, inherited
Preclude-to prevent, to make impossible
Efface-to erase, to wipe out
Marred-damaged, bruised
Week 22
Ameliorate-to make better, to improve
Prodigious-of enormous quantity or size
Concise-briefly and clearly stated
Immutable-unchanging, permanent
Stoic-indifferent to pleasure and pain, brave
Innocuous-harmless
Credulous-gullible, overly trusting
Blasphemy-heretical departure from accepted practice
Lax-careless, not diligent, relaxed
Cryptic-mysterious, puzzling, enigmatic
Week 23
Hinder-to obstruct
Esoteric understood only by a select few
Pretentious-pompous, self-important
Incongruous-not fitting in, out of place
Unprecedented-occurring for the first time, novel, never seen before
Merger-a joining, a uniting
Pedestrian-common, ordinary, banal (secondary meaning)
Prudent-careful, cautious
Exemplary-outstanding, setting a great example
Sycophant-a bootlicker, a brown-noser
Week 24
Neutral-unbiased, not taking sides, objective
Rescind-to repeal, to take back, formally
Retract-to take back (e.g. a statement)
Fundamental essential, basic
Rejuvenate-to make young again
Contrite-apologetic, remorseful
Exemplify-to serve as an example of
Nullify-to negate, to make unimportant
Vilify-to speak of someone as a villain
Hypothetical-theoretical, for the sake of argument
Week 25
Nostalgic-yearning for the good old days
Assuage-to soothe
Saccharine-overly sweet
Stanza-a section of a poem
Jeopardy-danger
Supercilious-haughty, arrogant
Avarice-greed
Pivotal-important, critical, crucial
Blithe-free-spirited, carefree
Scrupulous-careful, diligent, moral
Week 26
Volatile-changeable, unstable, explosive
Voluminous-very large, spacious
Peripheral-on the edge, surrounding, unimportant
Hedonistic-pleasure-seeking, indulgent
Amity-friendship
Benefactor-a generous donor, someone who helps
Apocryphal-of doubtful origin, mythical
Slander-to defame, to speak maliciously of someone
Animosity-hatred
Stringent-strict, harsh, sever
Week 27
Hackneyed-banal, over-used
Amass-to accumulate, to pile up
Verbose-wordy, overly talkative
Trepidation-to fear
Desecrate-to profane, a holy place
Fortuitous-accidental, happening by chance or luck
Vehement-urgent, passionate, forceful
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